Grant waited in anticipation as the Titans stared at the unmask their. Grant jumped and did a jazz hands pose. "I know. I'm a damn good looking guy." Grant smiles.
"You're not what I imagine you look like." Robin admits.
"What did you expect me to look like?" Grant asked.
"I imagined you to look like a punk with piercings." Raven answers.
"You having a snake tattoo on your face." Cyborg chimes in.
"I thought you will be ugly." Starfire added.
"Man, I thought you were Jason Todd." Beastboy grumbles in disappointment.
"Who?"
"Ignore him." Raven replied. Robin gets up from the couch and stood in front of Grant. He eyed the teen up and down.
"Are you checking me out in front of your girlfriend, kid?" Grant asked in an amused tone.
"We're the same age and yet, you keep calling me 'kid'!" Robin shouted.
"Kid, you're 15. I'm almost 19. I'm pretty sure you are a kid compared to me." Grant stated.
"Ha! We're almost there same height! You're pretty short for your age!" Robin laughs. That's when Grant drops his smile and slowly forms a frown.
"Keep laughing, bird boy. We'll see if you find Slade killing your friends funny." Grant hissed. Robin awkwardly chuckles and turn to his friends. He expected them to back him up. But to Robin's surprise, they instead have a straight face. "Sorry." He apologized.
"So what happened after faking your death? Did you decided to commit non lethal crimes?" Raven questions.
"I wasn't planning on being a thief. Honestly, I wasn't. But like every teenager, I didn't think my plan through. Shortly after faking my death, I didn't know where else to go. I didn't have any money to leave Jump City and start over in another place. I didn't have enough money for food. I became a homeless teen with nowhere to go. So I became a thief to survive. I didn't become Red X right away. I usually just pickpocketed to have money for food. Or I break into hotels to wave a bed to sleep in. My plan was to wait for my father to leave this city so I can come out of hiding and find a job."
"What made you become the Red X?" Starfire asked.
Grant turned to look at Robin and smile at him. "It's all because of you, kid."
Robin took a step back and pointed at himself. "You became Red X all because of me?" He asked.
"I became Red X for you, kid. Allow me to explain. I occasionally break into my father's hunt to steal extra bits of money. Not enough for him to notice that someone was in the hunt. Anyway, one night I was there to steal more money and that's when I saw the two of you. I was really shocked that the hero Robin was turned to the dark side. But I was more shocked on how easily my father replaced me. It hasn't been a year of my supposed death. I got jealous of you, kid."
"I'm… Sorry." Robin apologized.
"Don't be. Luckily, I stay a bit longer hearing your conversation. I heard everything. How my father was blackmailing you in order to serve him, how you'll thank him someday, how the two of you have a lot in common. Then I heard how he can be a father to you. And that's when I learn what he really wanted."
"What did Slade really want?" Beastboy asked.
Grant looked Robin straight in the eye. Robin looked a little uneasy and tried to avoid eye contact. "You know the answer. Don't you, Robin? Deep down you know why Slade's obsessed with you."
"I didn't want to believe it." Robin whispers. "If I accepted it, then I'll be humanizing Slade."
"Robin, what do you think on what Slade really wanted?" Cyborg gently pursuit.
"During my time as Slade's apprentice, he gave me a vibe that Slade wanted a child and he will kill to get one. I thought in his mind, Slade has everything he wants in this world but a kid to call his own. This whole apprenticeship was just a ruse so he can be a father." Robin answers.
"Dude, that's nuts! Like a psychopath like Slade can a loving father. He most likely abused Grant and his brother." Beastboy stated.
"Actually, Slade wasn't abusive to my brother and I. In fact, he was a normal, caring father." Grant chimes in.
"Now that, I won't believe." Raven rolls her eyes.
"It's true. Slade taught us how to ride a bike, attended parent teacher conference, saw our school play, grounded us when we misbehave. The only problem was that he was rarely at home. I do remember one time Joey came home with my mom crying that our father missed his talent show. Or me being disappointed he missed my soccer game. But he will always make it up for us when he takes us out for ice cream. In my younger years, I always wonder what job makes him take so many business trips? Now I know why."
Starfire placed her hand on Grant's shoulder. "Do not place your guilt on yourself. For you did not know your K'norfka focus more on his despicable action than his family." She smiles.
"Thanks. I'm pretty sure 'K'norfka' means father in your tongue?" Grant asked.
"That is correct." Starfire nodded. The other Titans got up and gather around Grant. Each offering the teen their support. "In case you ever felt like crap because of who you're related to, just remember my father's the devil." Raven assures him.
"And I have an evil older sister." Starfire added.
"Duly noted." Grant smirks.
"Hello? When are we getting to the part where Blondie decided to become Red X and what does it all have to do with Robin?" Beastboy reminded them.
Grant's face flushed with embarrassment on how off topic he become. "Sorry." He meekly apologized. "Where was I? Oh right! After realizing that my father didn't want an apprentice, I knew that I really hurt him for what I did to him. I guess my father's heart wasn't really all black. But that doesn't excuse him for what he did to the Titans. I stayed a bit longer gather as much information as possible on rescuing from Robin from my father. When I compose the data of the hunt I sent out the coronations to Cyborg."
"That was you?!" Cyborg blurts out.
"You never did tell me how you were able to find me." Robin told Cyborg.
"I received an anonymous email of an unknown location. All it said was, 'you leader is here'. I was a bit skeptical at first, but it was all the lead we had. We only knew that you were being blackmailed into attacking us. We just didn't know where you were being held." Cyborg explained.
"That was all me." Grant bows. "After you were rescued, kid. Slade did vow there will be another day. Now that's something my father doesn't take lightly. I knew this wasn't over. So I kept tabs on you. I used my father's skills into tracking your every movement. The more I spied on you, the more I realized how you and I are alike. My father was right about picking you to replace the child he lost. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts making you dye your hair blonde. I decided that I must see you as a little brother. And the job of an older sibling is to protect the younger ones. That's when I hack into your tower's online system to steal the Red X suit. It was the only way to keep an eye on you without knowing who I was. It was a good thing too. Have I never did, you and the city would've been killed by professor Chang."
Robin took a deep breath and sat back down on the couch. He rubbed his temples and tried to comprehend everything he learned to take. Slade was right, everything has always been about him. "I'm so sorry." Robin apologized in a weak voice."
Grant looked taken back. "What are you sorry for, kid? None of this was your fault." He assured. He sat next to Robin put his arm around him. "I should be the one apologizing. If I hadn't been a coward and not faked my death, none of you would have suffered so much turama. For that I'm sorry." Grant apologized.
"This isn't your fault either, Grant." Raven disagrees.
"Yeah, man. You didn't asked to be that madman's son. You felt you were in danger from him. No child should ever feel that way to their parents. Anyone of us would have done the same things in your shoes." Beastboy says.
"BB's right. You have done what you thought what was best for yourself. That's something we won't judge you for." Cyborg agrees.
"And if you still feel you are at fault, just know we have all done something stupid." Starfire reasons.
"Thanks for those kind words, Titans. I'm really jealous that you have each other. You are the perfect family." Grant admits.
"You don't have to be jealous anymore, Grant." Robin spoke.
"What do you mean?"
Robin reaches into his utility belt and pulls out Titan communicator. The other four Titans gasp in excitement as Robin hands the communicator to Grant. "I'm asking you to join our family, Grant. You can make Red X into a hero." Robin proposed.
Grant took the communicator and looked Robin in the eye. "No. I've been hiding from Slade for almost two years." Grant said.
The Titans's eyes widen with hurt and disappointment. Before they can protest, he cut them. "I'm not joining the Titans as Red X. I won't wear a mask anymore. Instead, call me Ravager the Avenger." He says. The Titans clapped and cheered that Grant will be joining then after all. Grant's eyes sharpen. "It's time for me to stop hiding."